April 4, 2011 Issue 237 Radio: ACMs “One Of The Best” Was last night’s 46th Annual ACM Awards in Las Vegas the best ever? Whose idea was it to pair Carrie Underwood with Steven Tyler? When did Taylor Swift take up the banjo? And how long was it before the first award was presented? Radio was buzzing the morning after, eager (as always) to offer opinions and suggestions. Country Aircheck was listening. By consensus, the genius move of the night was putting Tyler and Underwood together. “I was a rock programmer in the early ‘80s before my Country days, and it was just great Let Us Entertain You: Big Machine Label Group President/CEO Scott to have a well-performed ‘crossroads’ moment Borchetta (center), congratulates the Band Perry and Taylor Swift on their Best New Artist and Entertainer of the Year honors, respectively, like that on the show,” says WGNA/Albany, following the Academy of Country Music Awards. Show (l-r) are Reid NY PD Tom Jacobsen. “It was one of those Perry, Kimberly Perry, Borchetta, Taylor Swift and Neil Perry. moments that would stand me up on my chair if I were there,” adds WGH-FM/Norfolk Director/ ACMs: At The Mandalay Operations & Programming John Shomby. Between performances for the telecast, fans who gathered at John Shomby Gregg Swedberg PD at Major the Mandalay Bay Events Center watched the ACM show on Market Station of the Year KEEY/Minneapolis, three large screens. During commercial breaks, the audience was in the audience: “I was blown away,” he says. was treated to acoustic performances “Couldn’t figure out why she was doing the old from Steel Magnolia, Sarah single, then he comes out and proceeds to defy any Darling and Columbia newcomer AARP rules. The audience was loving it.” Bradley Gaskin. Once the CBS- TV broadcast wrapped, Sugarland Although Underwood and Tyler drew the Gregg Swedberg most comments, the show’s opening number, returned to the stage to headline the “Old Alabama” featuring Brad Paisley and Alabama, seemed Fan Jam After Party, performing to set the tone for a powerful night of musical collaborations. hits and mixing Cee Lo Green’s “Forget You” and other pop hits into Jennifer Nettles and Rihanna (continued on page 7) ©2011 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] April 4, 2011 Country Aircheck Weekly Page 3 their “Everyday America.” Randy Houser, David Nail, Eric THE PAGE THREE PIC Church and Little Big Town performed songs from their bodies of work. Host Laura Bell Bundy was forced to stretch to allow time for artists arriving from the MGM to navigate heavy traffic. Sugarland’s Kristian Bush went solo for Bruce Springsteen’s “Atlantic City” before being joined by LBB for Stevie Nicks’ “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around.” Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton paired up for Wild Cherry’s “Play That Funky Music” and the Band Perry closed the evening with “Sugar, Sugar” into “Hip to My Heart.” ACM Quotebook Seen and heard onstage and backstage at the 46th Annual ACM Awards: • “The fact that this is Teen Player: Then-WWWW/Detroit PD from the fans makes it so Barry Mardit ([email protected]) submits beautiful.” –Taylor Swift on Zac Brown and James Taylor this postcard, sent to him 19 years ago accepting Entertainer. last week. His now-“Teenage Daughter” Rose was born that year. McBride tells • “Tonight was one of the greatest musical moments I’ve Country Aircheck she remembers hand- ever experienced.” –Darius Rucker on performing with the writing the notes to every programmer Vanderbilt Music Camp Choir. as she was getting her career started. • “I think he’s probably got a permanent gig. I really expected Got old school snaps? Send them to him to win [Male], and I would have been very happy.” –Brad [email protected]. Paisley on Blake Shelton. • “It went great. I shot three celebrities ... and Luke Bryan!” –Shelton on the NRA/ACM Celebrity Shoot. • “All-time best musical moment of my life tonight.” –Zac • “I’m not engaged. Whenever you wear fancy jewelry, you put Brown on performing with James Taylor. it on the finger that fits. This is the finger that fits.” –Lady A’s • “God bless Jerry Douglas.” –Zac Brown Band’s John Driskell Hillary Scott responding to a press room question about her left- Hopkins on the famed Dobro player who put the band and hand ring finger bling. James Taylor together. • “We’ve never been presented these nice trophies by people • “I’m still excited from last year.” –Miranda Lambert on her big night. with such big feathers before.” –Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles on accepting Duo trophies from Vegas showgirls. • “This has been a great night for American music.” –Ryan Seacrest ACM Travel Woes • “Those aren’t actual words. That’s just screaming random Southwest’s move to ground older airplanes and cancel consonants and vowels.” –Taylor Swift on what her mom said to flights, combined with frightening weather in Nashville, made her after she was named Entertainer. travel treacherous for radio and music business professionals ©2011 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] April 4, 2011 Country Aircheck Weekly Page 4 this weekend. Radio personalities hoping to return home Sunday MY TUNES : MUSIC THA T SHA P ED MY LIFE to resume their weekday shifts found delayed or canceled flights, with theWQYK-FM/Tampa morning team scrambling WKDF/Nashville PD/morning host to originate their show from CBS Radio/Las Vegas’ facilities. Marty McFly discusses his most influential songs, albums or concerts: Tornadoes, thunderstorms and strong winds had those returning 1. Eagles, Hell Freezes Over Tour, to Nashville Monday worried, but the industry-laden 10am flight Phoenix, 1994: Seeing them live for the from LAS to BNA landed safely after a mostly uneventful trip. first time in my life – I still can’t find the words to describe it. 2. Bon Jovi, These Days Tour, Charlotte, Wayne’s World 1996: The boys let me stay onstage With the theme “A Sense of Wonder,” the second annual Marty McFly almost the entire show as part of their bar TEDxNashville, a forward-thinking conference on technology, background. Wow, the things I saw. 3. George Strait, Phoenix, 1990: Sold-out show with 34,000 entertainment, academic science and political issues at people in the round. George let my morning show partner and Nashville’s TPAC Polk Theater April 9, will feature Jimmy me introduce him. The band went out for the long walk from Wayne discussing his 2010 1,700-mile trek to Phoenix to raise the back through the crowd. The lights went down. The crowd awareness for foster children aging out of the system. Also went nuts. Then George let us walk out next. We had fun with speaking will be Ashley Judd, NASA scientist Dr. Andrew the crowd and introduced him. George came onstage, shook our hands, then did his thing. One of the best nights of my life! Keys and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer Roger Cook, 4. Steve Miller Band, Nashville, 1988: Sounded like you among many other luminaries. For details, visit http://www. popped a CD in. I still get chills. tedxnashville.com. 5. Rodney Atkins: He’s the only artist that will give me his cell number. So I owe him a name-drop. I’m looking for a “Thank you” text, buddy! Chart Chat • A highly regarded song or album you’ve never heard: The Congrats to the Zac Brown Band, Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Michael Powers, Jeff Solima and the • An “important” piece of music you just don’t get: David Allan Coe’s “You Never Even Call Me By My Name.” I don’t drink, and my entire Bigger Picture promotion staff on Zac Brown Band mom has never been to prison. scoring this week’s No. 1 single with the • An album you played or listened to incessantly: Molly band’s “Colder Weather.” The song is the second No. 1 from their Hatchet’s Flirtin’ With Disaster. current album, following “As She’s Walking Away” to the top. • One obscure or non-country song everyone should listen to right now: “Good To Be Me” by Uncle Kracker f/Kid Rock. Funny, ain’t I? Apprentice: Rich Is For St. Jude Reach out to Marty at [email protected]. Project managers John Rich and Marlee Matlin set a Celebrity Apprentice record by collectively raising $1,640,000 during last night’s “The Art Of The Deal” episode, which had teams Backbone Rich’s team pulled an impressive $626,908, which included and A.S.A.P. each staging an art auction for charity. “There has a donation from Apprentice alumnus Trace Adkins and a never been, in the history of Apprentice or $470,000 check from Rich’s Nashville connections Two-Foot Celebrity Apprentice, money raised like Fred and Big Six. But with the help of three $99,000 donations, both teams raised,” host Donald Trump Team A.S.A.P. came out on top with a whopping $986,000. exclaimed in the boardroom. “We’ve never Because both teams pulled such high numbers, Trump, Rich and Matlin struck a deal that the losing team got to keep their funds, John Rich raised this much money in a whole season.” which for Rich means a sizable donation to St. Jude Children’s ©2011 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] April 4, 2011 Country Aircheck Weekly Page 6 Research Hospital in Memphis.